Motor operated pole supported motion display

ABSTRACT

This display comprises a pole carrying a motor at its upper end, having an upwardly extending drive shaft on which is mounted means to facilitate the installation of a display member in the field and to support and stabilize the weight of the display member more evenly as opposed to the conventional &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;U&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; bracket. The display member is simply lifted over the support unit, and lowered onto a conical portion of an adoptor for self-centering of the display member which finally rests on a flange surrounding the base of said conical portion.

United States Patent Moss 15] 3,654,716 [451 Apr. 11, 1972 154] MOTOROPERATED POLE SUPPORTED MOTION DISPLAY [72] Inventor: Jerome A. Moss,333 West End Ave., New

York, NY. 10023 [22] Filed: Dec. 28, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 101,585

[52] U.S.Cl ..40/33,211/163 [51] Int Cl ..G09f 11/02 [58] FielddfSear-ch ..40/33, 39, 106.54,68, 77.8, 40/131, 128,145;211/163, 131

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 228,812 6/1880 Greenbaum..40/33 308,761 12/1884 Fawkes ..40/33 1,727,515 9/1929 Mendle ..211/163Look ..40/ 3 3 Benchley Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell AssistantExaminer-Richard Carter Attorney-J. B. Felshin [57] ABSTRACT Thisdisplay comprises a pole carrying a motor at its upper end, having anupwardly extending drive shaft on which is mounted means to facilitatethe installation of a display member in the field and to support andstabilize the weight of the display member more evenly as opposed to theconventional U bracket. The display member is simply lifted over thesupport unit, and lowered onto a conical portion of an adoptor forself-centering of the display member which finally rests on a flangesurrounding the base of said conical portion.

12 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEBAPR 1 1 I972 FIG.

FIG. 4

- INVENTOR. V' 4. M055 QM AND/BYE) MOTOR OPERATED POLE SUPPORTED MOTIONDISPLAY This invention relates to motor operated pole supported motiondisplays.

An object of this invention is to provide a display of the characterdescribed which may be operated by a battery actu ated motor or by amotor operated by house current, and which shall accommodate a motorhaving a flatted drive shaft. In accordance to the invention an ddaptormade of plastic has a center hole to receive an upwardly extendingflatted motor drive shaft, a conical portion to aid in centering thedisplay, and a flat annular horizontal flange surrounding the base ofthe cone, on which the display member comes to rest for rotation withsaid adaptor when the motor is energized.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a display of thecharacter described, a conical adaptor which also has a center hole atits upper end to receive a shaft carry a additional display member torotate with the first display member.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a strong anddurable display of the character described, which shall be relativelyinexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble, and which shall yet bepractical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown various illustrativeembodiments of this invention,

FIG. 1 is a vertical view of a display embodying the invention, withparts in cross-section and showing use of a motor operated by housecurrent;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper end of the poleand the conical adaptor unit illustrating the use of a battery operatedmotor;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective exploded view of some of the structureof FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 3, but illustrating a modified construction,and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, designates a display embodyingthe invention. The same may comprise a stand 11. Said stand comprises abase 12 on which a tubular pole 13 is fixed. Fitted into the upper endof the pole 13 is a motor 14. Said motor has wings 15 fixed to its outercase, extending over the upper end of the pole. Said motor is fixed tothe pole in any suitable manner and has a central upwardly extendingdrive shaft 17. Said shaft may have a flat surface 18 offset from theaxis thereof. Mounted on the upper end of shaft 17 is an adapter 20 madeof plastic or any other suitable material. Said adaptor 20 has a hollowconical portion 21 with apex 22 at the top. Extending down from the apexis an axial stem 23 formed with an axial bore or hole 24 having alongitudinal flat surface 25. The upper end of shaft 17 projects intohole 24 and the flat surface 18 of the shaft contact flat surface 25.Thus, when the motor operates, the drive shaft rotates adaptor 20. Atthe lower end of the conical portion 21 is a downwardly extendingcylindrical portion 28, from the lower end of which an annularhorizontal flange 29 extends outwardly.

Stem 23 may be connected to the cone 21 by radiating webs 23a.

At the upper end of the apex 22 there is an axial hole 30 which also hasa flat, like flat 25. A vertical rod 31 having a flat 32 projects downinto hole 30 for rotation with the adaptor 20.

At the upper end of rod 31 is a display member 35 of any suitabledesign.

In FIG. 1, the motor 14 may be one that is operated by house current.The usual wires 39 for the motor may extend down into tube 13 and may beconnected to a switch 40 and extend, as at 41, from the base andterminate in a plug 42 for insertion in a wall outlet. If desired, themotor 14 may be operated by a battery 50 housed in the pole, as shown inFIG. 2. Multiple batteries may be used and they may be housed in a tube50a in a circuit such as shown and described in FIG. 2 of my copendingapplication, Ser. No. 23,345 filed Mar. 27, I970.

Mounted on the adaptor 20 is a display member 55. This display membermay be hollow as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. It may be of square traversecross-section. Said member 55 may have a top wall 56 formed with acentral round hole 57 of a diameter just slightly greater than the outerdiameter of cylindrical portion 28 of adaptor 20. The top wall 56 restson flange 29. Said display member 55 has four vertical side walls 58 anda bottom wall 60. Bottom wall 60 has a center round hole 61 of a diamtergreater than the outer diameter of flange 29.

Thus, the display-member 55 may be fitted over the adaptor which easilypasses through opening 61. The member 55 is then lowered onto-.theadaptor and centers itself by contact with cone 21 and comes down torest top wall 56 on flange 29.

If desired, flange 29 may have opening 29a to receive pins 56a attachedto wall 56 and projecting therebelow.

The upper display member 35 may have its shaft 31 applied to theadaptor, after the display member 55 is hung. Friction alone will causethe supported member 55 to rotate with the adaptor. However, if desiredinterengaging pins 56a and holes 29a may additionally be employed.

In FIG. 4, the lower display member 70 is rectangular and has a top wall71 formed with a rectangular hole 72. The adaptor 73 for this displaymember has sloping wall portions 74 and a horizontal flange 75 at itsbase. The top wall 71 centers itself on the sloping walls and rests onthe flange. The sloping walls fit into hole 72. Adaptor 73 has a stem 23with center hole to receive shaft 17 of the motor same as shown in FIG.2. It also has a top hole 30 to receive shaft 31 same as shown in FIG.2.

The primary function of the adaptor is to facilitate the installation ofdisplay members in the field, and to support and stabilize the weight ofthe display member more evenly, as opposed to the conventional U bracketwhich necessitates the use of screws or other fasteners, which mayrequire pre-assembly at the factory.

The adaptor fits into a die cut hole in adaptor top former of thedisplay member, and the flange of the adaptor supports the displaymember.

The assembled display member is simply lifted over the completed supportunit whether in motion or stationary, and lowered until the adoptorcenters the display which comes to rest on the flange.

The display member 55 may be mounted on the aaaptor at any angle aboutthe axis of the latter. The display is supported all around and at aradius from the center. There is a friction fit, and no screws arenecessary. The flat in the hole 24 will fit the usual flat shafted driveshafts of small motors such as made by I-Ianscraft Inc. of 369 LexingtonAvenue, New York, N. Y. 10017.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adaptedto meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative.

I claim:

1. A display comprising a stand, a motor on the stand, said motor havingan upstanding drive shaft, an adaptor removably and non-rotatablymounted on said shaft and having a downwardly and outwardly slopingportion and being formed with an axial downwardly opening hole toreceive the upper end of said shaft, said adaptor being fonned with ahorizontal flange surrounding the sloping portion at the base of saidsloping portion, and a display member having a top wall formed with ahole to receive said sloping portion, and resting on said flange.

2. The combination of claim 1, said adaptor having a hole which opensupwardly and is coaxial with said downwardly opening hole, a shafthaving its lower end removably and nonrotatably received in saidupwardly opening hole, and another display member on said last mentionedshaft.

3. The combination of claim 1, said display member having a bottom wallformed with a hole coaxial with the hole in the top wall thereof and ofa size and shape to permit the adaptor to pass said hole in the bottomwall as the top wall is moved down to the adaptor.

4. The combination of claim 1, said sloping portion of the adaptorcomprising a cone, and said flange being annular.

5. The combination of claim 1, said flange being formed with one or moreopenings.

6. The combination of claim 1, said axial downwardly opening hole beingformed in a stem extending downwardly from the apex of said slopingportion.

7. The combination of claim 6, said sloping portion being conical andsaid flange being annular.

8. The combination of claim 7, said adaptor having a cylindrical wallbetween said conical portion and said annular flange.

9. The combination of claim 8, said adaptor having a hole which opensupwardly and is coaxial with said downwardly opening hole, a shafthaving its lower end received in said upwardly opening hole, and anotherdisplay device mounted on said last mentioned shaft.

10. The combination of claim 9, said first mentioned display memberhaving a bottom wall formed with a hole coaxial with the hole in the topwall thereof and of a size and shape to permit the adaptor to movethrough said hole in the bottom wall as said bottom wall moves over theadaptor and the top wall moves toward said adaptor.

11. The combination of claim 10, said flange being fonned with one ormore openings.

12. The combination of claim 1, said hole having a flat and said driveshaft having a flat contacting the flat in the hole.

1. A display comprising a stand, a motor on the stand, said motor havingan upstanding drive shaft, an adaptor removably and non-rotatablymounted on said shaft and having a downwardly and outwardly slopingportion and being formed with an axial downwardly opening hole toreceive the upper end of said shaft, said adaptor being formed with ahorizontal flange surrounding the sloping portion at the base of saidsloping portion, and a display member having a top wall formed with ahole to receive said sloping portion, and resting on said flange.
 2. Thecombination of claim 1, said adaptor having a hole which opens upwardlyand is coaxial with said downwardly opening hole, a shaft having itslower end removably and non-rotatably received in said upwardly openinghole, and another display member on said last mentioned shaft.
 3. Thecombination of claim 1, said display member having a bottom wall formedwith a hole coaxial with the hole in the top wall thereof and of a sizeand shape to permit the adaptor to pass said hole in the bottom wall asthe top wall is moved down to the adaptor.
 4. The combination of claim1, said sloping portion of the adaptor comprising a cone, and saidflange being annular.
 5. The combination of claim 1, said flange beingformed with one or more openings.
 6. The combination of claim 1, saidaxial downwardly opening hole being formed in a stem extendingdownwardly from the apex of said sloping portion.
 7. The combination ofclaim 6, said sloping portion being conical and said flange beingannular.
 8. The combination of claim 7, said adaptor having acylindrical wall between said conical portion and said annular flange.9. The combination of claim 8, said adaptor having a hole which opensupwardly and is coaxial with said downwardly opening hole, a shafthaving its lower end received in said upwardly opening hole, and anotherdisplay device mounted on said last mentioned shaft.
 10. The combinationof claim 9, said first mentioned display member having a bottom wallformed with a hole coaxial with the hole in the top wall thereof and ofa size and shape to permit the adaptor to move through said hole in thebottom wall as said bottom wall moves over the adaptor and the top wallmoves toward said adaptor.
 11. The combination of claim 10, said flangebeing formed with one or more openings.
 12. The combination of claim 1,said hole having a flat and said drive shaft having a flat contactingthe flat in the hole.